Electronic device including sub-array based deblurring of a blurred finger image and related methods

Abstract

An electronic device may include a finger biometric sensor that includes an array of electric field sensing pixels and image data output circuitry coupled thereto and capable of processing the image data from each of sub-arrays of the array of electric field sensing pixels. The electronic device may also include a dielectric layer over the array of electric field sensing pixels and causing electric field diffusion so that the image data output circuitry generates image data corresponding to a blurred finger image. The electronic device also includes deblurring circuitry coupled to the image data output circuitry and capable of processing the image data from each of the plurality of sub-arrays of the array of electric field sensing pixels to produce processed image data representative of a deblurred finger image.

That which is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device comprising:
 a finger biometric sensor comprising an array of electric field sensing pixels and image data output circuitry coupled thereto and capable of outputting image data from a plurality of sub-arrays of the array of electric field sensing pixels; 
 a dielectric layer over the array of electric field sensing pixels and causing electric field diffusion so that the image data output circuitry generates image data corresponding to a blurred finger image, the electric field diffusion having a diffusion function associated therewith; and 
 deblurring circuitry coupled to the image data output circuitry and capable of processing the image data from each of the plurality of sub-arrays of the array of electric field sensing pixels in accordance with respective deblurring functions for each of the plurality of sub-arrays based upon the diffusion function to produce processed image data representative of a deblurred finger image. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sub-arrays comprises at least one border sub-array adjacent a border of the array. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sub-arrays comprises at least one interval sub-array spaced inwardly from a border of the array. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the diffusion function comprises a Gaussian function and the respective deblurring functions each comprises an inverse Gaussian function. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the deblurring circuitry is capable of storing a plurality of deblurring coefficients for each of the respective deblurring functions. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer has a non-uniform thickness; and wherein the deblurring circuitry is capable of processing the image data to produce image data representative of the deblurred finger image based upon the non-uniform thickness. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the deblurring circuitry comprises a deblurring processor and memory coupled thereto and capable of storing the image data. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the finger biometric sensor further comprises drive circuitry coupled to the array of electric field sensing pixels. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the finger biometric sensor comprises a finger coupling electrode adjacent the array of electric field sensing pixels and coupled to the drive circuitry. 
     
     
       10. An electronic device comprising:
 a finger biometric sensor comprising an array of electric field sensing pixels and image data output circuitry coupled thereto and capable of outputting image data from a plurality of sub-arrays of the array of electric field sensing pixels, the plurality of sub-arrays comprises at least one border sub-array adjacent a border of the array and at least one internal sub-array spaced inwardly from the border of the array; 
 drive circuitry coupled to the array of electric field sensing pixels; 
 a dielectric layer over the array of electric field sensing pixels and causing electric field diffusion so that the image data output circuitry generates image data corresponding to a blurred finger image, the electric field diffusion having a diffusion function associated therewith; and 
 deblurring circuitry coupled to the image data output circuitry and capable of processing the image data from the at least one border sub-array and the at least one internal sub-array of the array of electric field sensing pixels in accordance with respective deblurring functions for the at least one border sub-array and the at least one internal sub-array based upon the diffusion function to produce processed image data representative of a deblurred finger image. 
 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the diffusion function comprises a Gaussian function and the respective deblurring functions each comprises an inverse Gaussian function. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the deblurring circuitry is capable of storing a plurality of deblurring coefficients for each of the respective deblurring functions. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the dielectric layer has a non-uniform thickness; and wherein the deblurring circuitry is capable of processing the image data to produce image data representative of the deblurred finger image based upon the non-uniform thickness. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the finger biometric sensor comprises a finger coupling electrode adjacent the array of electric field sensing pixels and coupled to the drive circuitry. 
     
     
       15. A finger biometric method comprising:
 operating a finger biometric sensor comprising an array of electric field sensing pixels and image data output circuitry coupled thereto and capable of outputting image data from a plurality of sub-arrays of the array of electric field sensing pixels, and with a dielectric layer over the array of electric field sensing pixels thereby causing electric field diffusion so that the image data output circuitry generates image data corresponding to a blurred finger image, the electric field diffusion having a diffusion function associated therewith; and 
 processing the image data using deblurring circuitry coupled to the image data output circuitry in accordance with respective deblurring functions for each of the plurality of sub-arrays based upon the diffusion function to produce, from each of the plurality of sub-arrays of the array of electric field sensing pixels, processed image data representative of a deblurred finger image. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of sub-arrays comprises at least one border sub-array adjacent a border of the array. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of sub-arrays comprises at least one internal sub-array spaced inwardly from a border of the array. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the diffusion function comprises a Gaussian function and the respective deblurring functions each comprises an inverse Gaussian function. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , wherein processing the image data using the deblurring circuitry comprises storing a plurality of deblurring coefficients for each of the respective deblurring functions. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the dielectric layer has a non-uniform thickness; and wherein processing the image data using the deblurring circuitry comprises processing the image data using the deblurring circuitry to produce image data representative of the deblurred finger image based upon the non-uniform thickness. 
     
     
       21. A non-transitory computer readable medium for finger biometric processing, the non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions capable of performing the operations comprising:
 operating a finger biometric sensor comprising an array of electric field sensing pixels and image data output circuitry coupled thereto and capable of outputting image data from a plurality of sub-arrays of the array of electric field sensing pixels, and with a dielectric layer over the array of electric field sensing pixels thereby causing electric field diffusion so that the image data output circuitry generates image data corresponding to a blurred finger image, the electric field diffusion having a diffusion function associated therewith; and 
 processing the image data using deblurring circuitry coupled to the image data output circuitry in accordance with respective deblurring functions for each of the plurality of sub-arrays based upon the diffusion function to produce, from each of the plurality of sub-arrays of the array of electric field sensing pixels, processed image data representative of a deblurred finger image. 
 
     
     
       22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of sub-arrays comprises at least one sub-array adjacent a border of the array. 
     
     
       23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of sub-arrays comprises at least one internal sub-array spaced inwardly from a border of the array. 
     
     
       24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the diffusion function comprises a Gaussian function and the respective deblurring functions each comprises an inverse Gaussian function. 
     
     
       25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein processing the image data using the deblurring circuitry comprises storing a plurality of deblurring coefficients for each of the respective deblurring functions. 
     
     
       26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the dielectric layer has a non-uniform thickness; and wherein processing the image data using the deblurring circuitry comprises processing the image data using the deblurring circuitry to produce image data representative of the deblurred finger image based upon the non-uniform thickness.